 Mount Isa Southeast
Introduction
The Mount Isa Southeast Project comprises EPM 12207, situated about 10km
east of Mt Isa within the Western Fold Belt (Figure 1). It hosts historical
shear and vein-hosted copper workings. The tenement, which consists
of two separate areas, covering approximately 160.5km2 is managed by Xstrata
Copper as part of the CJV.
Figure 1: Mount Isa Southeast Project - Geological Map
Geological Setting
The region around the project area is divided into two structurally distinct
areas, which are separated by the north-northeast trending Gorge Creek Fault. To
the west of the fault is a normal facing moderately west dipping sequence. To
the east of the fault, which passes through the eastern section of the tenement,
a complex series of lower order faults has produced slices of various sedimentary
and volcanic units. These units overlie a Paleoproterozoic basement
in which acid volcanics of the Leichhardt Metamorphics are intruded by Kalkadoon
Granite.
The Mesoproterozoic layered sequence within the area contains, from youngest
to oldest:
- Clastic and chemical sediments of the lower portion of the Mount Isa
Group
- Clastic sediments of the Surprise Creek Formation and the Myally Subgroup
- Metabasalt and quartzite of the Eastern Creek Volcanics
- Clastic sediments of the Mount Guide Quartzite
Exploration Potential
The project is situated within a structurally complex area in the vicinity
of major base metal deposits. Numerous copper occurrences have been worked
within the region. Faults of various orders may have provided conduits
for mineralising fluids, and a variety of lithologies, including both acid
and basic volcanic rocks, are present within the tenement area. As such
the area has potential to host significant base metal mineralisation. In
particular, magnetite breccias located in the northeastern section of the
tenement require follow-up.
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